| dc.description.abstract | Institutions of higher learning are mandated to conduct applied research and promote
innovations among other functions. The purpose of this study was to assess four
research and statistical-related processes in three institutions of higher learning namely,
Jomo Kenyatta University Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya Technical
Teachers College (KTTC) and Kenyatta University (KU). The research and statistical
related processes were identified after a one- to -one consultation with the people in
charge of crucial research departments in the three institutions. The four tasks included,
assessment of an approach that could be used to develop content for an innovation
policy document at RPE, assessment of some aspects of an instrument used in
monitoring and evaluation of innovation projects at RPE, assessment of training in
research and statistical methods at JKUAT and KTTC, and finally an assessment of data
analysis procedures of one dataset from ASARECA project based at KU.
A qualitative approach was used to gather information and analyse data on appropriate
content of the innovation policy documents. Two key informants, purposively selected
from RPE provided the necessary textual data for this assessment. The tool used to
collect the data was an open interview schedule (see appendix I for the schedule).
Qualitative procedures were used to analyse the data including transcription of textual
data, data display, data reduction and drawing of conclusions to develop content of the
policy. Two aspects of the instrument used in monitoring and evaluation of innovation
projects were assessed. Data were collected from innovation proposals forwarded to
RPE. More data were also collected during the actual monitoring and evaluation
process. The data were entered in excel and summaries made using tables and graphics.
Assessment of training was done in two folds; One, through assessment of use of
Moodle, (a learning management system), in teaching of an MSc course in research
methodology at JKUAT. The data for this assessment were collected using an
observation profoma form the SSC Moodle web site which hosted the course. The data were later analysed using descriptive statistics including the frequency distributions and
measures of central tendencies. The second fold was an assessment of teaching research
methods at KTTC. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in the
analysis. The dataset from KU was analysed in stages, first step was to use the Meta data
availed and formulate research questions to guide the analysis process. Pivot tables were
then created in excel to summarize the measurements of the variables. Exploratory
analysis in GenStat and R softwares followed before doing hypothesis testing and
statistical modeling.
The study revealed that a qualitative approach can be used to gather information from
key informants to generate content for innovation policy document. It also showed that
the field of application of most of the innovation projects at RPE, JKUAT is agriculture.
Among the collaborators suggested in all the proposals, none was a
biometrician/research methods professional, or an economist, very few entrepreneurs
were included. According to the findings, the learning forums on Moodle site were not
fully utilized. As in assessment of teaching at KTTC, the rating of availability of
resource materials for students was low. The findings from analysis of data from KU
revealed that organizing the analysis such that it begins with an outline of analysis
objectives, followed by creation of pivot tables, carrying out exploratory analysis,
testing hypotheses and doing a regression analysis towards the end.
The study recommends that; a policy document be formulated at RPE to guide the
management of the innovation projects, Biometricians /RM professionals and
economists be included as collaborators, innovators from all fields be encouraged to
participate by RPE, use of Learning Management Systems be promoted by the e-learning
department to enhance teaching at the University, Simplified manuals in
research and statistical methods be availed at KTTC for the diploma students and correct
procedures for data analysis be followed in order to produce accurate and reliable
findings from research | en_US |
